Travel Devil – Guilt-free Sustainable Travel for Adventure Seekers

When we talk about sustainable travel, we often focus on carbon footprints and eco-hotels. But what about the local people? In this episode of Travel Devil, your host Clara Francken talks to Joanna Kalafatis. Joanna is a travel writer, photographer, and author of the Best of Greece Moon Guide. Today we talk about what it really means to travel responsibly in Greece.

Together, we explored how to support local economies and go beyond the typical tourist experience. With insights from Joanna’s Greek background and her work in publishing, this episode is a deep dive into conscious travel practices in one of the world’s most visited countries.

What we cover in this episode:

• The biggest misconceptions about travel in Greece
• How to book experiences while supporting support local businesses
• What to know if you want to go island-hopping
• The ethical dilemma of over-tourism on islands like Santorini and Mykonos
• The importance of food choices and local ingredients
• Whether Greek tourism is truly becoming more sustainable

Whether you’ve been to Greece, are planning a trip, or just want to travel more consciously, this episode offers grounded, realistic advice for making a positive impact without going off-grid.

More of Joanna Kalifatis:

• Connect with @joannakalifatis on Instagram
• Watch her YouTube video's

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Vanlife offers freedom, adventure, and breathtaking landscapes, but what about its environmental impact? In this episode, your host Clara Francken sits down with Alise from Outdoor Nerds to dive into the reality of vanlife in Canada. Beyond the Instagram-worthy views, we explore what it takes to live on the road while keeping sustainability in mind.

What we cover in this episode:

• The true environmental footprint of vanlife, how much fuel does it really take, how to build an eco-friendly van?
• The biggest challenges of living in a van full-time, from extreme weather to finding ethical overnight spots
• The financial side of vanlife: what's the real cost, and should you buy or rent a van?
• Workaway, remote jobs, and other creative ways to fund life on the road
• Must-visit places in Canada for an eco-conscious road trip
• The unexpected struggles (and rewards) of a mobile lifestyle

If you've ever considered hitting the road in a van but wondered how to do it responsibly, this episode is for you. We break down the realities, and compromises needed to make vanlife in Canada both fun and sustainable.

Listen now to uncover what vanlife in Canada is really like—beyond the filtered Instagram posts.

More of this:

• Connect with @theoutdoornerds on Instagram
• Watch their YouTube video's

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Can you be a cyclist, a mother, and a content creator—all at once? Fatima Berton (@bertoniiii) proves that you can.

In this episode of Travel Devil, we dive into bike touring as a family, the realities of women in professional cycling, and how Fatima balances life on two wheels with motherhood. From competing at a pro level while working full-time to challenging stereotypes about what’s possible as a mom, Fatima shares her inspiring journey of resilience, adventure, and passion.

• Why she left professional racing despite her love for cycling
• How she started bike touring with a 4-month-old baby
• Choosing the right destinations & gear for family bike trips
• The struggle for fair pay in women's cycling
• Being a content creator in the cycling world – the good, the bad, and the unpaid work

This episode is for anyone who loves cycling, is curious about family bike travel, or wants to hear an honest take on what it means to be a woman in cycling.

More of this:

• Connect with @bertoniiii on Instagram
• Statistics about the gender gap in cycling

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• Connect with me on Instagram @clarafrancken
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When we talk about sustainable travel, we often focus on the environment, but what about personal safety? In this episode of Travel Devil, we explore the challenges women face when using public transport, particularly trains.

With real-life experiences and eye-opening statistics - like the fact that 93% of s3xual violence victims on Parisian public transport are women, and 26% are underaged girls - this episode sheds light on an issue that affects millions of travelers worldwide.

We’ll discuss:

• Practical safety tips for traveling by train
• The role of safe spaces in train stations
• How bystanders can help in dangerous situations
• Emergency resources, including key helplines and apps

Drawing on research from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and safety initiatives by SNCF, this episode aims to raise awareness and share actionable advice to help create safer journeys for all.

Sources & data about France:

• SNCF on fighting harassment on public transport
• RATP initiative for safe spaces

The guide I'm referring to: a guide to female safety on public transport.

Listen now and join the conversation.

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Would you cycle 6,500 km to highlight climate change? For Guillaume Otrage, the answer was yes. Instead of hopping on a plane to attend the COP29 Climate Conference, he went on a six-month bicycle journey from Paris to Baku. Together with a team of volunteers and participants, the aim was to deliver 10 proposals to leverage cycling for climate protection. 

In this episode of Travel Devil, your host Clara Francken sits down with Guillaume to talk about:

• Why the team of riders chose to cycle instead of fly to a major climate event.
• What it's like to attend COP as a participant.
• The power of cycling in reducing transport emissions.
• Adventures on the road, like cycling in areas with bears, wild dogs, and other unexpected challenges.
• How his journey is inspiring others to rethink sustainable travel.

This episode is packed with adventure, activism, and insights into what it takes to turn a simple bike ride into a movement. 

🔗 Follow Guillaume’s journey: cop29bikeride.org

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They picked up 650,000 cigarette butts and piled them in the city center. Why? To take a striking stand against trash & pollution.

In this episode, I chat with Andreas Noe, aka The Trash Traveler, who’s changing beach cleanups into powerful awareness campaigns. From creating trash art to organizing massive cleanups, Andreas is on a mission to show that small actions can lead to big change.

We discuss:

• Why beach cleanups aren’t enough to solve plastic pollution.
• How trash art and visuals inspire people to act.
• The surprising challenges travelers face in reducing waste .
• Why systemic change and collective action are key against microplastics.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make an impact while traveling sustainably, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable insights.

Click here to follow his journey: https://www.instagram.com/thetrashtraveler/

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Attending Turkish high school as foreigners? This is our personal experience during the winter time in Turkey. This episode is my Christmas gift to all the international students abroad. Host Clara Francken and her best friend Debbie talk about attending high school in Turkey as an exchange student. We reflect on our year living and studying in Izmir and Mersin, Turkey. We talk about everything from skipping class (yes, it happened!) to celebrating Christmas and New Year in a new culture. 

If you’ve ever thought about cultural exchange or living abroad, this episode shares the highs, the lows, and the unforgettable stories that come with it.

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How far would you go to raise awareness about climate change? Reuben Ntuluki walked 1000 km through Botswana to prove that sustainable travel is possible and necessary. In this episode of Travel Devil, your host Clara Francken uncovers the challenges, triumphs, and lessons from Reuben’s inspiring journey.

Topics covered:

• Reuben's untold story of walking 1000 km
• The truth behind funding for climate projects in Botswana
• The link between eco-mobility and reducing carbon footprints
• Traditional and modern sustainable travel practices in Botswana
• How Reuben overcame the odds to secure international recognition for his NGO

This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about sustainability, travel, and the power of grassroots advocacy.

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In this solo episode, your host Clara Francken shares her firsthand experience traveling from Portugal to Germany by train - an epic 4-day journey filled with highs, lows, and important lessons. From breathtaking views in southern France to logistical nightmares at border crossings, Clara unpacks the realities of choosing sustainable travel over cheap flights. This episode is sharing real stories about how to embrace the joys - and frustrations! - of eco-friendly travel.

Discover answers to these questions:

• Where can travelers find affordable train options across Europe?
• Why should you avoid wasting time booking seat reservations for Interrail on European trains?
• What are the unexpected challenges of cross-border train travel?
• Can sustainable travel compete with budget airlines like Ryanair?
• What are some Black Friday train deals to look out for?

If you’ve ever considered making your travels more sustainable, this episode will inspire and prepare you for the journey ahead.

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From funny and awkward border-crossing moments to the occasional frustrating delays, this episode is packed with relatable and entertaining train tales. Host Clara Francken welcomes Jon Worth, an independent EU policy commentator and expert on sustainable transport, for an engaging discussion on European train travel.

It's not just about stories, this episode dives into the bigger picture of sustainable travel across Europe. Discover how EU policies are shaping the future of rail travel, how we can solve the ticketing issue, and how Europe wide data sharing can solve the hassle of finding the best train connections. Whether you're navigating international rail systems for the first time or you're a pro at deciphering timetables, this episode is full of useful tips, policy insights, and a sprinkle of humor to inspire your next journey by train.

Don't miss this episode if you're curious about how railways are driving Europe's push for sustainability and a greener future!

Contact Jon Worth:
http://jonworth.eu/contact/
https://bsky.app/profile/jonworth.eu

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